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Congressman Bill Posey reintroduced legislation aimed at stopping the revolving door between Congress and lucrative lobbying careers in order to curb influence peddling and keep Members of Congress and senior Congressional Staff focused on serving the American public.

“Working in Congress, either as a Member or staff, is both a great privilege and a public service,” said Congressman Posey. “Those serving in Congress, Members and senior staff, should see their service in Congress as just that, a service to the public and not as a place to launch a lucrative lobbying career. We need good public policy and the nation at large to be the sole focus of that service.”

Posey reintroduced H.R. 440, the Stop the Revolving Door in Washington Act, which extends the lobbying moratorium on Members of Congress and Senators when they leave office to five years and up to two years for senior staff and other employees of the legislative branch. Posey also reintroduced H.R. 442 to require that any former Member of Congress or senior staff that pursues a lucrative lobbying career give up federal retirement benefits if they choose to lobby. These bills would apply prospectively.

“Sometimes in Washington people forget that working in Congress, or in a federal agency, is first and foremost about serving your fellow Americans – that’s where the focus needs to be. These bills would restore that focus and eliminate distractions.”